Big Berry Manzanita

Its Big Berry time in the garden. Arctostaphylos glauca is an astonishing plant...big, bold, formal, commanding. Its like a Daniel Craig-era James Bond, a bruiser in a tuxedo. The mahogany bark and grey-green leaves are striking all year, especially when the bark begins to peel and flake in the summer. The wood is hard and structural, branches reaching out and up. And then in winter, becoming completely draped in a veil of small, clear white lanterns.

Wildlife love this plant and the blooms are a perfect source of food when there's little else blooming in the garden. Hummingbirds are currently fighting over this small tree in pitched battles that last all day. There are sneak attacks, full on assaults, sly infiltrations, and full out retreats.  They seem to take something of a break mid-day, but in the morning and afternoon, its on.

The other visitors are bees and butterflies. Honeybees will cover the plant, helicoptering from lantern to lantern, by the dozens. Native bees are also here, but in few numbers unfortunately. I should do more to invite them into my yard. I had a photo of a Monarch butterfly visiting a bloom, but I can't find it.

 This small tree was planted about 10 to 12 years ago. They say manzanita are slow growing, and that might be right. But this one grew fast. Its now as tall as my house. Since I'm technically in a fire zone, I've pruned up the lower branches. Its actually a nice effect. The bark and branches are on display, showing their remarkable color and weight.

I do the pruning in Summer, during a good hot spell. Care and Maintenance of Southern California Native Plant Gardens recommends pruning in summer, NOT winter, as wet weather could spread disease. So I guess I take it a little further and make sure there's a little heat to ensure no moisture to spread disease. I also dip the hand shears and loppers in some water with a little bleach to try and cut back on any transfer of pathogens.

This plant gets full baking heat in the summer and is a little on the shady side in Winter. Its on the west facing side of my yard, but on the north side, so there is some shade in the early morning hours during summer. It also hasn't minded root competition from the Chinese elm out on the street. I had two Cercis occidentalis nearby and they hated the root competition.


There's always something going on in a California native plant garden. But let's face it, the show is in Spring. So its important to have plants like Arctostaphylos glauca in the garden. They provide structure and beauty all year long. And in this case, they bloom when not much else is going. Its an ideal plant, a bold statement of confidence in the native plant garden, and a great source of beauty to be admired all year.

Peeling bark...

and as it ages.